Diversity of Stream Vegetation in Oum El Bouaghi Region (East of Algeria)

Volume7, Issue 3: 9-13

ISSN 2277- 8047

Lilia Redjaimia1, Yassine Nouidjem2, Sarra Chabou1, Menouar Saheb1, Sabrina Bougoudjil1

1Department of Natural and Life Sciences, University of Oum El-Bouaghi, Algeria, 2Department of Natural and Life Sciences, University of M’Sila, Algeria. ABSTRACT

A recent floral study includes an inventory and analysis of floral biodiversity in five wadis in Oum El Bouaghi region. A floristic inventory spread over a period of one year (2015 to 2016). This study conducted to identify 80 species belonging to 28 families, the family best represented is Asteraceae with (47%), and the most diverse sites are wadi Meskiana and wadi Dahmane with 57 and 34 species, respectively. Species indicative of environmental disturbance or soil degradation and drought have been identified. For the distribution and the floristic diversity, several factors are motioned, such as the aridity of the climate of the studied environment, the drought and the anthropic pollution of these rivers. A local flora database has been updated.

Keywords: Asteraceae, Therophytes, Wadis, Inventory, Oum El Bouaghi. Corresponding author: Yassine Nouidjem plants in relation to the evolution of their environment e-mail [email protected] (Amirouche and Misset, 2009). Received: 22 January 2018 The position of each plant depends on a set of ecological 03 July 2018 Accepted: factors such as climate and soil type that directly affect the

distribution of plant species (Medjber, 2014). 1. INTRODUCTION In Algeria, the most recent ecological studies in Phyto-ecology Algeria has a great diversity of natural wetlands. This diversity have focused on wet complexes located on the coast. Our study results from plant formations that are particularly varied in of stream vegetation in the region of Oum El-Bouaghi (East- terms of their structures and physiognomy, as well as the Algeria) remains a pioneer. Its objectives are: the evaluation of richness of their forests procession (Dahalli, 2017). the specific and Phyto-sociological wealth, determination of The regions have a Mediterranean-type climate and are home the composition and structure of the vegetation and the to particularly rich and diverse wetlands (Deil, 2005). This is establishment of a list of plant species on our site. particularly the case for rivers which are among the most complex and dynamic ecosystems. They play a key role in the 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS conservation of biodiversity, in the functioning of organisms and in the cycle of organic matter, despite their exceptional Study area and data collection The vegetation inventory of the banks of the 5 rivers was biological richness, which has been recognized for a long time conducted in the wilaya of Oum El Bouaghi on the 5 sites (each (Medail et al., 1998; Gauthier et al., 2004). These environments site has 3 stations and each station includes 3 surveys): Wadi have so far been little studied and have not been subject to Meskiana, Wadi Dahman, Wadi D’himine, Wadi Guerrah and conservation measures. They show a loss of diversity under Wadi Sigus. The climate is continental, semi-arid with a winter the influence of various anthropogenic pressures (pumping, often very cold and rainy and a summer hot and dry. The drainage, overgrazing, pollution, cultivation, etc.) (Samraoui et average annual rainfall varies between 350 and 500mm al., 1992; De Belair, 2005). (A.N.D.I, 2013). Irregular rainfall and poor distribution, high These rivers are very productive; they form valuable temperatures give rise to periods of summer drought spanning reservoirs of biological diversity and provide many hydro- a period of 5 months. These disturbances negatively affect biological functions. rangeland vegetation (El Moudden, 2004) (Table 1) (Figure 1). The vegetation cover is one of the main components. It plays a Wadi Meskiana fundamental role in the structure and functioning of these The sub-basin of Wadi Meskiana covers an area of 1680 km2; it ecosystems, of which it is an expression of the biological is located in north-eastern Algeria. It is located halfway potential. Spontaneous plants growing on the banks of between the Mediterranean and the Algerian Sahara and is watercourses adapt to the conditions of semi-arid part of the Medjerda-Mellègue Basin. Several agglomerations environments. In Algeria, arid and semi-arid environments sit there: Bellala, Dhalaa, Meskiana, Rehia and Zebar (ABH- offer opportunities for the evaluation and understanding of the CSM, 2005). mechanisms involved in the diversification and adaptation of Wadi D'himine

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It covers an area of approximately 3000 ha. It is located 3 km north of Ain Babouche and whose geographical coordinates are Tamaricaceae the following: 35 ° 58'37,64 '' North in 36 ° 01'09,78''Nord and Ranunculaceae 7 ° 11'22,80 '' East at 7 ° 14'38,38''Est (Merouane, 2014). The Plantaginaceae village of Ain Babouche is located 90 km south-east of Liliaceae Constantine and 11 km north of Oum El Bouaghi. fabaceae

Wadi Dahmane Families This wadi represented part of Wadi Settara, its average depth convolvulaceae varies between 0.5 and 3.5 m. Its water is sweet in nature. In Boraginaceae recent years of drought, the wadi is threatened by the Amaranthaceae installation of numerous water pumps used for irrigation of 0 10 20 30 40 cereal crops (Merouane, 2014). Wadi El Gerrah Abundance % The upstream of this wadi, is located in the municipality of Ain M'Lila from the road Ouled Guecem, through El-Roknia to the Figure 2. Relative abundance of families at the three stations limits of the wilaya of Oum El Bouaghi with Constantine. El- of the Wadi meskiana Guerrah (El Gourzi) is a city that is part of the wilaya of Constantine. It is part of the Bomerzoug watershed. 1 Wadi Sigus 1 Asteraceae Brassicaceae The wadi Sigus watershed includes the basin of Bir Tanja: The 2 1 1 1 Poaceae wastewater is discharged by networks to a specific channel in 1 Geraniaceae the center of the municipality; this region presents a risk of 1 1 1 1 1 1 Plantaginaceae flooding. And Thlath Hamri Basin; Wastewater is discharged 2 Apiaceae directly without primary treatment through a canal. 18 Caryophyllaceae Eupharbiaceae Fabaceae Lamiaceae 3 Ranunculaceae 2 Amaranthaceae 2 Boraginaceae 2 2 3 4 5 Convolvulaceae

Figure 3. Number of species for each floristic family at the three stations of the Wadi meskiana

Wadi Dahmane The floral procession of this site includes 17 families and 34 species. The Asteraceae family is the most dominant with 7 species (20.59%) followed by the Fabaceae family with 4 species (11.76%). About ten families are represented by only Figure 1. Geographical location of the 05 sampled stations one species (2.94%) (Figure 4 and 5).

Table 1. Geographic coordinates of sampling sites Upland zone Riparian zone Aquatic zone Rubiaceae

Wadi 35°28.6260'N 35°38.2800'N 35°45.5940'N Poaceae Meskiana 7°30.4500'E 7°39.8460'E 7°47.1900'E Wadi 35°58.3996'N 36°00.2964'N 36°03.2092'N Papaveraceae Dahman 7°16.0317'E 7°17.1619'E 7°18.2396'E Liliaceae Wadi 35°59.3989'N 36°00.4988'N 36°02.1533'N D'himine 7°17.5011'E 7°18.0043'E 7°18.0216'E Fabaceae Wadi 36°07.0741'N 36°09.1433'N 36°10.2657'N Families Cistaceae Guerrah 6°36.1930'E 6°36.1930'E 6°42.2900'E Brassicaceae 36°09.619'N 36° 07.981'N 36° 07.085'N 6° Wadi Sigus 6°42.931'E 6°46.319'E 48.178'E Asteraceae 0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 3. RESULTS Abundance % Wadi Meskiana Diversity of families inventoried in wadi Meskiana is 21 Figure 4. Relative abundance of families at the three stations families including 57 species. The Asteraceae family is the most of the wadi Dahmane abundant with 18 species (31.58%), followed by the Brassicaceae family (8.5%) with 5 species. A dozen families are represented by only1species (1.75%) (Figure 2 and 3).

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including 3 species and Brasicaceaes with 9.71% and 3 species, Asteraceae the remainder of the families are represented by a single Fabaceae species (Figure 8 and 9). Brassicaceae 1 1 1 1 Plantaginaceae 1 1 Poaceae 1 1 7 Caryophyllaceae Urticaceae Convolvulaceae 2 4 Ranunculaceae Typhaceae Boraginaceae Ranunculaceae Cistaceae 3 3 Plantaginaceae 2 Eupharbiaceae Juncaceae Malvaceae

2 3 Families Liliaceae Eupharbiaceae Malvaceae Brassicaceae Figure 5. Number of species for each floristic family at the Asteraceae three stations of the wadi Dahmane 0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 Abundance % Wadi D’himine The results in (Figure 6 and 7) from wadi D’himine explain a wealth of 24 species, corresponding to 10 families. The Figure 8. Relative abundance of families at the three stations Asteraceae family is the most dominant with (38.73%) 9 of wadi Elgerrah species, followed by the brassicaceae with (16.06%) and 4th species, the Poaceae are represented with 3 species and 10.70%, the rest of the families count only one species. Asteraceae 1 1 1 Brassicaceae 1 1 8 Plantaginaceae Poaceae 3 Eupharbiaceae 3 Papaveraceae malvaceae Geraniaceae Ranunculaceae Families Caryophyllaceae Typhaceae

Asteraceae Figure 9. Number of species for each floristic family at the 0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 50.00 three stations of wadi Elgerrah Abundance % Wadi Sigus

The floral composition in the three stations of this river and Figure 6. Relative abundance of families at the three stations present in Figure 10 and 11, out of a total of 15 families, the of the wadi D’himine Asteraceaes family is the most dominant with 50% and 7 species, followed by the Euphorbiaceaes with 12.30% and 3 species, the Brassicaceae, Poaceae and Ranunculaceae families Asteraceae 1 are present with 10% and only one species. 1 1 1 Brassicaceae 1 1 9 Poaceae Resedaceae Plantaginaceae 4 Ranunculaceae 2 Caryophyllaceae Poaceae 3 Eupharbiaceae Eupharbiaceae Brassicaceae Geraniaceae Families Boraginaceae Asteraceae Figure 7. Number of species for each floristic family at the three stations of the wadi D’himine 0.00 20.00 40.00 60.00 Abundance % Wadi Elgerrah This site is composed of 19 species belonging to 9 families Figure 10. Relative abundance of families at the three stations among which the family Malvaceaes is the most abundant with of Wadi Sigu 51.22% and 9 species followed by plantaginaceae with 28.7%

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seeds". Among the most dominant therophytic plants listed: Asteraceae Adonis aestivalis, Euphorbia helioscorpia, Galactite tomentosa, 1 Hordeum murinum, Malva sylvestris, Martricaria maritima 1 Brassicaceae 1 (Arabi, 2016). 1 7 Boraginaceae In second position are the Hemicryptophytes which characterize soils poor in organic matter (Barbero et al., 1989), Eupharbiaceae 1 3 the species which group this biological type and the most Poaceae represented in our studied sites are: Brassica nigra, Centaurea

Ranunculaceae calcitrapa, Plantago lenceolata. The lack of light reduces the herbaceous stratum in the Resedaceae composition and still clouded by overgrazing, Nanophanerophytes occupies the third position, are rarefied, Figure 11. Number of species for each floristic family at the create over time vast clearings with short grass (Gustave., three stations of wadi Sigu 1929), plants belong to this types are...: Artimisi acina, Marrubium alyson, Phragmite australis, Geranium Biological types robertianum, Urtica diouca, Salvia verbenaca. The most used classification for the definition of biological The last place is for Geophytes, which are perennial plants, types is that of Raunkiaer (1918), the following fourth which have organs allowing them to spend the bad season biological types: Geophytes, Therophytes, Hemicryptophytes buried in the soil Raunkiaer (1918), among the species and Nanophanerophytes. Analysis of the vegetation in the invented on sites: Taraxum densleonis, Peganum harmala, study areas shows that Therophytes are the most dominant in Resedalutea, Filagoarvensis, this type is reported to regress the counterbution of plant cover (61.96%), followed by and disappear in lawns and steppe areas (Barbero et al., 1989; Hemicryptophytes with (22.91%), with a small percentage we Arabi., 2016). find Nanophanerophytes and Geophytes with 8.37% and According to Dakki and El Hamzaoui (1998) we have made to 6.74%, respectively. very interesting and very sensitive environments on the

biodiversity and environmental level. 80 Our results show the state of degradation that the study region 70 is experiencing, they are summarized in the following points: 60 50 Degradation of the vegetation covers by the appearance of

% 40 indicator species such as Peganum harmala and Malva 30 20 Geophytes sylvestris (Chenchouni, 2012). 10 0 Hemicryptophytes Therophytes occupy most of the site, which explains the disturbance of the environment. Nanophanerophytes According to (Arabi, 2016), the study of vegetation clearly Therophytes shows the combined action of climate aridity and unfavourable human intervention. The biological spectra show a broad dominance of the Therophytes indicators of the degradation of Sites the environment which are results testified by the same author.

Figure 12: The biological types of each site studied 5. CONCLUSION 4. DISCUSSION This monograph sheds light on the nature of the flora of rivers located in north-eastern Algeria. The recent work is carried out on 5 rivers in the region of Oum This richness is linked to the geographical location of the site El Bouaghi in the north-east of Algeria. The vegetation of these and to the ecological condition which is reflected by the rivers is systematically sampled where representative samples diversification of the species inventoried 80 species which are of each species are collected during the flowering period (from essentially Therophytes and Hemicryptophytes which are March to May 2016) to facilitate plant identification. The floral indicators of soil degradation and drought. Thus, these results inventory includes 80 plant species belonging to 28 different obtained reveal very important threats linked to agro-pastoral botanical families of vascular plants (phanerogams). This practices (agro-pastoralism, pumping...) where riparian inventory reflects a rich diversity, and has contrasting results vegetation has been replaced by irrigated crops. that is already known for arid regions (Ozenda, 1983). The According to this study, we believe that vegetation degradation Asteraceae family includes the highest number of species has exceeded the reversibility threshold which was recorded as 47% and 24 species. The two sites "wadi Meskiana and wadi Dahmane" are the most diverse with 57 and 37 species, respectively. REFERENCES Daget, (1980) saying: "In fact, theropytia constitutes the most constraining life imperative: massive germination and 1. A.N.D.I (2013). National Report on Investment in fructification, rapid growth, on a soil capable of preserving Algeria 2013 (National Agency for Investment Development).

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